Trend: Big Box stores don't sell STB's

It is likely an after hurricane thing. There is no reason that they should stop selling them. There will be more TVs that include digital tuners, but there are many, many TVs already produced that will require them for OTA reception. As prices drop, I expect them to sell in larger quantities.


Robert

I don't think its a Florida thing. The stores in my area (Austin, Texas), for the most part, seem to be pushing Satellite systems. Best Buy has no OTA receiver, CC has a few, Fry's has a Sony combo unit, Ultimate has a Samsung unit. There are a few OTA choices to be found but it's *much* easier to find a Satellite unit, in my experience.


Paul

Yeah, my local CC has Samsung TS160, Sir-t351 and a Moto HDT101. Wal-mart (even though their electronics section is PACKED with HD ready sets) has zip and I'm not even going to mention what little selection BB has!


Very weird.

The OTA only STB are a high return item. Probably due to the fact that it takes much research and effort to get the optimal antenna for any particular location. CC still sells them however. BB told me that they were no longer carrying them but I still see them especially the 3410a. Wal Mart has the USDTV for $198.


In my opinion what is needed is an OTA installation industry that will install OTA antennas. This way the expertise is in the installer not the consumer.


Rick R

Big Box stores are getting out of the STB biz. OTA reqires an install w/ some level of expertise. Not their strong suit.


Treat the BB, like a supermarket. Know what you want before you go and just pick it up there.

When I bought my TV, Brandsmart said they are no longer selling Directv...

I bought a Samsung HD receiver last week at CC. They had at least 7 or 8 different models available including Samsung, Motorola, Hughes. Some may have been older models. At BB there were only 2 models. This was in the Phoenix, AZ area.


They also had a large supply of dishes and accessories and had sales people trying to sign customers up for service.

None of this would surprise me.


Most CABLE CO. allow you to RENT a HDTV STB(w digital cable access and/or possible DVR service) for a nominal fee. Therefore, like stated above in a earlier post, people return them for there money back.


With D* and Dish offering similiar products for their customers to purchase, a stand alone STB is not worth it to most people. People with just analog(myself) cable would have one and that is it.


And considering more and more tv's will come with built in tuners, they will begin, if not now, be phased out.

stbs are a disappearing breed - no set top boxes at any of the midwest BBs I have visited in the last month (including in Twin Cities - BB headquarters.) Ultimate selection is rapidly diminishing, and one day I was bored, so I hassled the poor schmuck at Sears - you know, the place with HUGE placards, signs, and streamers pushing HDTV!!!!!!!!! and HD READY. I asked how to watch HD, was told I had to buy a DISH HD box. way to sell


good thing the masses have NF idea what HD tv is - they just plug in their cable and "watch HD." I know - have been to yokel's houses where they have new HD tvs, and watch them.

No STBs at all at Sears after the latest influx of new TVs and displays. Just an old, beat-up DISH 6000 under the counter, playing a promo channel.


The consumers just think that 2006 is when all their TV sets will get bigger .

Just checked today: Best Buy in the Washington DC (Baileys Crossroads) area still has the LG LST3510 combination CD player/OTA receivers in stock. About two miles away, a large TV only discount retailer (Belmont TV) has a stack of about 15 LG 4200 OTA receivers for sale.


Both of these highly rated units have good posted prices on them. I have an LG LST3410 and it is more sensitive and much better on multipath than either of my older RCA DTC100 and Samsung T151 OTA receivers.

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Yup, LG is still manufacturing OTA receivers and I can still get everything except the D* receivers. I agree with BigTVSteve, in that the LG OTA receivers are some of the best, and I don't expect them to disappear like some of the others.


....jc

A guy at best buy once told me that they don't get any kick back from the ota sales. When they sell a satalite system, they get some sort of kick back as an incentive to sell satalite systems. So why would best buy want to sell ota when they can sell satalite? Especially when ota boxes are returned so often? Also, I think that the return rate of these boxes will drop once the 5th gen chips are standard. Once people are able to pitch a loop or rabit ears and get hdtv trouble free, then i think that they'll take off, but now, its so much trial and error just to get free hd. Plus as others have noted, more and more tv's are being sold with the tuners in them.


Ryan

How many stand-alone NTSC STBs are for sale today?

I think OTA STBs will sell better and not be returned if the stores would stop selling Terk antennas to go with them.


IMHO

Are the disappearances of STB's due in part to manufacturer's being required to integrate an ATSC tuner into every tv larger than 3x" by some date in the near future. Sorry i don't remember the date or exact tv size.

These things are going to go the way of stand-alone UHF tuners.

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Yes, but not for several years.


People aren't going to buy new TVs just to get ATSC, and when NTSC broadcasting ends, you'll probably see the government forced to subsidize the purchase of ATSC STBs (read: give them away for free or sell them for $25 or so...)